Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c11.s6.34

c11.s6.34

The most important of such symbols is the mystic syllable *Om*. The syllable is made up of three parts, *a*, *u*, *m*, corresponding to the three states of consciousness, waking, dreaming, and deep sleep, which have for their objects the gross, the subtle, and the causal world. Through the meditation of these three parts is reached the highest plane, the fourth (*Turīya*) "which is imperceptible, not subject to any development, is blissful, without a second." The *Om* thus meditated upon is "verily the Self. He who knows this, with his self, enters the Self" [*Māṇḍūkya*, 12]. The process of this meditation is further described in *Muṇḍaka*: "*Om* is the bow, the self is the arrow, Brahma is its mark. It is to be hit by a man whose thoughts are composed. Then, as the arrow becomes one with the target, he will become one with Brahma."